[Helm108]

Picked up my new X3 today. 35i with the premium package, tech package, convenience package. Black leather interior with wave wood trim. The wood was all mucked up and the salesman noticed it before I did and told me they would replace those sections of the trim later.

The real story: I pick up the car, drive it home on what is a 45 minute drive. I have two options to get back home--one is a straight shot all the way and another road is less traveled by and has more curves.
And I... I chose the road less traveled by. And that has made all the difference.

I didnt see anyone else on the road. I have driven this road all my life and have never seen a cop on it but maybe twice. Born to Be Wild was on the radio... I couldn\'t resist.
I shifted the car into sport mode and poured into all the curves, my grin growing wider and wider. I won\'t state here how fast I got, but I will tell you what the NC State Trooper said he caught me going 68 mph. When he said that number I breathed a huge sigh of relief.
He asked for my license and registration
\"Sir, I don\'t have registration I literally bought this car an hour ago and this is my first time driving it.\"
He was really nice the whole time and admired the X3\'s interior. I thought to myself that there is no way that he is going to give me a ticket.
I reminded him again that this was my first time driving it and that I couldn\'t resist seeing what the car could do and how it handled. He took my license, went back to his car, and returned.
He told me he was on that road because someone had just hit a deer, and that I was lucky that I saw him and not a deer. I smiled, nodded, and agreed with everything he said and assured him that I would be more careful, still certain that he wouldn\'t give me a ticket.

And then he gave me my ticket. 68 in a 55. $218.

I knew I got a good deal on my X3. I didn\'t know I would be getting a blue light special to go along with it.

[JSY]

I usually notice that they typically give tickets for people exceeding 10mph over the posted limit. Do you think he might have clocked you higher but gave you 68 to avoid a more expensive ticket? I remember years ago I got a 79 in a 55mph zone and if it I had been clocked at 80, the cost of the ticket would have been x2 per mile above 80.

Anyway, aren't you supposed to take it easy during break-in?

Congratulations on the new ride.

[gabrielddc]

In this car you do not feel the real speed.
Congratulation for you X3 35i.
Take care!!!

[Beyu]

Congrats in your new car, the X3 35i handles surprisingly well in corners doesn't it?

[Helm108]

When he asked how fast I was going I said 70 and he told me "To be honest with you, I got you at a little under that - at 68." So I think he really got me at 68.

And I will take it more easy. I'm flipping through the owner's manual now and just came across the "breaking-in period" section. Woops.

[Nayook]

It looks like you're lucky in the US.
In New South Wales we are about to go into the holiday season. That means we not only get fined but we lose points (demerit points) on our licenses. Once you lose 12 you have lost your license.
In these holiday times they double the demerit points. Any mistake like being just over the speed limit can do twice the damage if you don't keep an eye on the speed.

[lbjgh]

Years ago cops use to give give warnings but in the last 10 or so years I haven't heard of anyone getting a break. I think the new crop of coppers have a different mindset about why they are out there.

Like colojim us Canucks get demerit points for speeding which can really impact auto insurance rates.

Also, in Ontario you loose your car if you are caught doing 50km/h over the limit.

[mibmwx3]

I don't know if it's true everywhere in the U.S., but in Michigan, we get points in addition to a fine. 13 over would be 3 points. You lose your license if you accumulate 12 or more points within a 2 year period.

[Beyu]

Geez a point system would suck, I'm glad I don't live in a state or country that has this.

Losing your license seems pretty harsh, maybe they should just implement something similar to the Japanese version of the GTR:

http://www.caradvice.com.au/8998/200...r-gps-enabled/

We can go on and on about the marvels of the new Nissan GT-R, not only is it styled to perfection, but with Porsche beating performance and the desire of every young man to own one, it has already become an icon.

But we can’t help but to share the wonders of its technology, the latest of which is a speed-limiter which is controlled by the car’s Satellite Navigations system.

The Japanese variant is speed-limited to 180km/h, which is more than you’d need, unless you want to track the car – and being a race-bred supercar, you’d be mad not to take your new GT-R on track.

Nissan of course, was aware of this, so they built a speed-limiter which is connected to the car’s GPS system, the GPS will send a signal to the car’s ECU to disable the 180km/h limit when it detects the car has entered a race track! How cool is that?

[Helm108]

Yeah we have "license points" here in the Carolinas. For going between 10 and 15 miles an hour over the speed limit I will get 4 points on my license. After 12 points your license is suspended for 3 months.

I don't have any points in my license, having only gotten one other speeding ticket in my life.

I will be getting a lawyer (I'm a SC lawyer but not a NC where the incident occurred) to get it reduced for me.

[JSY]

New York has a points system but it's only impacted for moving violations that occur in state. I believe that's the case in most states with points systems?